How Long Does a Bathroom Renovation Really Take?

If you’ve seen any before and after makeover shows on television, you may be in the dark as to how long a bathroom renovation really takes. The bad news is that the timeline for a new bathroom is much longer than the waving of a magic wand. The good news is that the results are entirely worth the wait.

Here is a breakdown of the sequence of events in real time.

The first step in the bathroom renovation process is an appointment with a designer in you’re not doing the work yourself. This is when you get to interface with the person who is going to bring your dream bathroom into reality. It is their job to be honest with you about the real timeline for bathroom renovation.

Whatever you do, don’t tell the designer to leave and try someone else when they give the remodeling time from start to finish at around six weeks. They are only being upfront, and you will struggle to find an accomplished designer who can bring the project in for less than that amount of time.

Demolition: 2 to 3 Days

Once you have signed off on the designer’s plans, the builder will look at your current bathroom to check the materials. If there are any metal sheets drilled into the walls, it will take longer to demolish than ordinary brick. They will also look over the blueprints of your home’s supporting walls in order to maintain their structural integrity. If asbestos is found, it will extend the demolition time by one to two days.

Plumbers and Electricians: 1 to 2 Days

When the old bathroom has been stripped bare, it is time for the plumbers and electricians to come in. They will start to rough plan the plumbing points on the floors and walls. The electricians will sketch in where the wiring and outlets will be.

Tiling Prep: 1 to 2 Days

The type of pattern you have chosen for your tiling and how far it will extend up the walls will impact on the amount of time spent installing them. The walls will need to be straightened or strengthened which is when any hidden alcoves for medical cabinets will be constructed.

Sheeting: 1 Day

The walls and ceilings in the bathroom will be sheeted before the waterproofed can come in.

Waterproofing: 2 to 3 Days

When the sheeting is complete the room can be waterproofed. The process requires 2 to 3 coats that dry in between coatings to ensure a tight water seal.

Tiling: 5 Days

The tiles must first sit in the house for a week so that they can adapt from the conditions they had in the factory to the ones in your home. The tiler will cut them to fit the angles and levels.

Tile Finish: 1 to 2 Days

Grouting and silicone filling are next. All the critical points must be sealed.

Trims and Painting: 1 Day

Doors, windows, and timber fixtures are now installed.

Plumbing Fitting: 1 Day

The roughed-out points for the plumbing fixtures are now filled in with the bathroom ware and drainage.

Electrical Fitting and Accessory installation: 1 to 2 Days

After the plumbers have left, the electricians come in to do their installations to code—and, finally, it is time for the accessories like toilet paper dispensers and handrails to be fitted. This will take less than a day. At this point, minus your own décor, your bathroom is finished.